DreamHost, a well-known hosting company, shows its two most
recent headlines with an excerpt, as shown in Figure 5-5.
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Figure 5-5. DreamHost features its founder??™s blog right on the homepage of its business site. The
headline coupled with an excerpt help users know what they??™re going to read before committing to
a click. The blog post is also wisely set below more important content.
Featured products or services
The normal cycle of business demands that companies continually innovate or risk extinction,
so it??™s inevitable that the latest offerings will be highlighted on the homepage to
catch the visitor??™s eye. Although the concept is more applicable to corporations that produce
and/or sell tangible products, it??™s common for websites to include a special corner of
the homepage to feature a select product or service. This is a variable element and can
encompass any number of things??”such as the following:
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A tractor manufacturer highlighting its new models for the year
A financial services company emphasizing its new customer service programs
An IT consultancy promoting a new whitepaper
A software reseller offering deep discounts on older versions still in stock
This blurb should not duplicate the content in a billboard, but it could very well complement
it.
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